Question

The scale on a map is 1:5000000

Two towns are 7cm apart on the map
Work out the actual distance between towns on the map

Answer 1

The actual distance between towns on the map is 350 kilometers

Explanation:

we know that

The scale on the map is
`1:5,000,000`

That means

1 cm on the map represent 5,000,000 cm in the actual

Remember that

`1\ km=1,000\ m`

`1\ m=100\ cm`

`1\ km=100,000\ cm`

Convert cm to Km

Divide by 100,000

`5,000,000\ cm=5,000,000/100,000=50\ km`

so

`1:5,000,000=(1)/(50)\ (cm)/(Km)`

That means

1 cm on the map represent 50 Km in the actual

so

7 cm apart on the map

Multiply by 50

`7(50)=350\ Km`

therefore

The actual distance between towns on the map is 350 kilometers